Fireproof building.



A. A. GUERINI. r'mEPRooF BUILDING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8. i909.

Patented July 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET I i|llllllllllll= [.VVEN'TOR.

'A'TTORNEAK A. A. GUERINI. FIREPROF BUILDING.

APPuc/mon msn rss. a. I'soe.

` Patented July 4, 1916.

TTORN Y.

l Y without the unsightly marl; made by the Uiirrnn sra'rns are.

ANNIBALE GUERIN. 0F MIDDLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIREPROOF BUILDING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. .i aiy a, i ein.

Appiication mea February s, 1909. seriai No. 476,609.

To all whom t may concern .Fireproof Buildings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object-of this 'invention is to make possible the Vconstruction of a building of reinforced concrete without `requiring theV building as a whole to be cast in a mold. In

rother words, it is vmy object to simplify and cheapen the construction of {ire-proof build' ings by constructing theseveral members and parts of the buildings independently out of concrete, of which all the long members are reinforced with metal, so thatI a, building of any size 01'- design may be constructed without requiring special molds' to be prepared therefor, which buildings, when completed, will have the appearance of` an artistically finished stone or plaster building ordinary wooden models used when the walls of a building are cast in place. l

In carrying my invention into effect I provide for the construction of beams, studs, joists, rafters and other framing members independently of one another, of reinforced concrete cast in any sortof inold'that may be convenient. and in any convenient place before being assembled. The ioor joists and` rafters made in this manner are constructed with lateral brackets or abutments serving as temporary supports for the diagonal bracinented to the joists. The outer coverings for the roof and wall are of concrete tiles hung to the rafters andwall studs in a mannei which will be later described, and the floor is of concretetiles laid across the joists, on which may be laid a wooden floor if desired. The members thus made are assembled togetlier in the saine manner as are the. yparts of wooden buildings, to inake a framed structure, and are suitably tied together, as will be presently described, and the joints be-A tween the several members protected and `made solid by the application of cement or mortar. Thus .practically the entire building is made of fire-proof material. In order .to permit fastening of a 'wooden floor and other wooden fittings@ the frame members inset nailing strips of wood or equivalent material, which, however, are embedded in the concrete so as to be practically incoinbustible.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of a house built inaccordance with my invention. Fig.

2 is a perspective view of the system of framing employed in such a building'wliere the members are of reinforced concrete.

Fig. 3 represents a sectional viewl of one of I the floors of a building constructed in accordance with my invention. vFig. l is a sectional View of one of the walls, showing part of the roof and floors of such a building.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of part of thel roof framing of thebuilding. Fig, 6 is an elevation of a form of tile\adapted to be usedas part of the outer covering for the walls and roof. Fig.` 7 is a sectional View,

on an 'enlarged scale, of part of the walhof the building, taken through the center of one of theY upright studs. Fig. 8 is a similar view taken between twov of the studs.l Fig. 9 is a plan view, showing a type of tile somewhat different from that of Fig. 6. Figs. 10 and 11 are views similar to Figs. 7 and 8 respectively, showing the manner of attachment of the tile illustrated in Fig. 9.v Fig. 12 is aperspective viewfof a strip adapted fair use in the suspension of roof and wall ti es.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

For an explanation as to the manner in Each of these members is made as an inde.

pendent reinforced concrete beam, which is cast separately and independently of the others and afterward assembled in the manner necessary to construct a complete building. Each of the girdersor beams lv has shelves or brackets 4 5 extending throughout its entire length, and a longitudinal groove or mortise 6 in its upper surface or edge. The groove serves for the' reception of tenons 7 which are cast inthe ends of the upright studs., These tenons are preferably bars or bleclis of metal around which the cencretes'cast. By ,reason of the fact that grootte e is continuous, the sndsmay be set in any position on the beam, and their tenons will enter the groove. This enables standard beams to be made capable of being used for buildings of all sizes and styles of design. The beams which are used .for the sills of the building, as they rest directly on the basement walls, have mortise grooves only in their upper surfaces, but the beams which support the upper ioors and the roof are grooved in their under sides as well, as appears from Fig.' 4. Furthermore, those beams which lie in the walls of the building, and which may be termed the-wall beams or wall plates, have shelves only on their inner sides, instead of on both sides, as shown in Fig. 2. i i

The joists 3 are notched at their ends in the lower portions, as represented at 8, forming shoulders which rest upon the shelves 4. These joists have lateral openings or perforations 9 extending through them, and the beams 1 also have perforations 10 on each side of the points at which the ends of the joists are adapted to abut. In building up the frame the ends of the joists are set on the shelves l 5 between the holes 10 of each pair thereof, and a. tie or strap 11 is then passed through the holes 9 10 around the portions of the beam and joist included between them, and made fast. Any form of tie which gives the necessary amount of strength may be used. For instance, I may employ such a one as shown at 11a in Fig.v

4, where the tie member is a strap bent in U-form, and passed through the holes 9 and 10. Its ends are threaded and passed through holes in a bar. 12, which lies along the outside of the beam or sill 1a. Nuts 13 are screwed upon the ends of the strap and hold the bar 12 thereon. The tie members may also be wires passed through the holes andaround the parts of the beams one or more times, and their ends suitably fastened together.

Projecting laterally' from the floor jolsts near the bottom and -top edges thereof, respectively, are abutments 14 15. the former of which I term brackets,` and the latter arrests. These abutments are provided for holding the diagonal bracesor struts 16 in place when they are first assembled. These diagonal braces areA ofconcrete, are made of such a length as to fit snugly between the corresponding brackets and arrests of adjacent joists, and their ends are beveled to fit against the sides of the joists. After being put in place, they are secured by cement or plaster, which unites their ends immovably to the joists. Preferably the abutments 14:

and 15 are made independent of one another at the points on the joists where the bracing is to be set. and they may also be made as continuous shelves or ribs if desired.

After the vertical studs and thejoists are set in place on the beams, the mortise is constructed of horizontal tie beams 2l' laid across the uppermost beams of the Wall, and rafters 22. The ends of the tie beams have shoulders 23 against which the outer ends of the rafters abut, and by whichthey are prevented from slipping outward. The

`inner ends of the rafters abut against a longitudinal ridge beami and against each other beneath said beam. They are united by tie straps 11b with the tie beams, and by straps 11c and 11d with the ridge beams and with eachother. The rafters as well as the floor joists are provided with abutments 14 and 15 for diagonal bracing if desired. All the joints between the members of the frame are covered and bonded together with cement. i

In order to further strengthen and stiften the building, I provide diagonal tie members 25 and 26 at 'the cornersof the building. The members 25 `are united to the corner studs and to the wall beams them, while the'tie members 26 are carried diagonally between the beams and 'sills of upper and lower stories. ,These ties may beA metal rods or equivalent fastenings, and are secured to ring bolts 27 cast into the studs and ring bolts 28 in the beams, respectively. These tie members are provided sills of the building and the door above, be-

' tween each of the floors,A and between the up= perffioor and the beams which support the roo At the corners of the building, or at other points where two ofthe main beams come together, one of the beams is notched at the end at its under side` in the same manner as are the joists, and the notched end is placed upon the shelf of the beam against which it abuts. l

All of the main members ofthe frame have metal reinforcing as illustrated in Fig. 4, the reinforcing members 0r elements consisting of the longitudinal bars or rods 29 and inclined shear bars or rods 30. These reinforcing members may be made according to any system of concrete reinforcing, but preferably according to some system which provides a truss. The one prime essential in the construction and arrangement of the reinforcing is that there shall be a reinforcingelement in any part of the frame Imembers which is surrounded by a tie. In

which rest upony This is in order that thev between the frightstuds which are placed so as to flank lie in any of the interior'or exterior wallsof the building. In addition, those of the up,

a. window or door' opening have nailing walls of the building have in addition vertical strips 34 embedded in their outer surfaces strips 32 at their corners. These strips are placed in the molds in which the beams are cast, so as to be embedded therein, and are securely anchored, as by ,having their enibedded sides of greater width than the cx- `posed sides, or by having hook-shaped or otherwise offset anchors 33 attached to them and surrounded by the concrete. The trans'- ver'se or horizontalbeams which lie in the and extending transverselyof their length. Preferably also the nailing strips in the `upper edges of the ioor joists and beams. as

shown in Fig. 3, project above the body of the beams` although it-is not necessary that they should 'do so, but they other strips may be, and preferably are, Hush with the con-l crete body. The strips in theupper sides of the iloonmembers are used for attaching a Wooden floor, while the strips in the under sidesof such beams and in the'inner sidel of the.vertical studs are employed for the attachment of llafthing 36 on which a coatyof plaster 37 is spread.

A convenient form offloor construction is shown in Fig. 3. On the upper edges of the joists are laid concrete slabs 3S between the nailing strips 31 e of adjacent joists.

Across the tiles `are laid purlins or boards 39 and transversely of tl e latter are 'Hoor boards 40. The purlins 39 are nailed to the strips 31, and the boards `4t are nailed to the purlins. If Vdesired,the wooden ooringinay be dispensed with and theJ slabs 38 covered with a mosaic or Itiled Hooi In any event, however, the tiles give1 protection against Afire to the flooring so that it is impossiblcffor a blaze in one-apartment to be communicated to the apartment .bovin The outer. covering for the walls and roof is -m'ade of concrete tiles hung upon horizontal bands or lines stretched alongr the -Walls and/roof. These fines or bands are fastened by nails 41 driven 'into the ex- -ternal nailing strips 3l cf the Wall studs.

The wall covering is made of tiles 42 which have lips or hooks 43 whch are hung on., the bands or ties so that tlxe main body of' ,the tile is suspended therefrom. Pands 44 consisting of Wires, are illustrated in Figs.

A1, 7 and 8. These Wires are stretched the same v are used.

,cement,

conveniently'byhaving a turn of the Wire vtaken aroundv each nail.

Instead ofV the wire, perforated metal strips or bands 45 (Fig. 12) muy be employed, such bands havy ying holes 45 .spaced conveniently for the reception of the fastening nai/ls 41. The wires or'strips have preferably a less distance between them than the length of the tiles, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the tiles overlap and vform the appearance ofa `shingled roof.l The overlapping of this type of tile causes the. tiles to slant outward so that they are'held'in place by gravity,

If def and by the Weight of`tiles above. sired, however, they may be additionally secured by a tie of wire 47 passed through holes 48 iny the tiles, and laid in grooves 49 extending from such holes to the-upper edges4 of the tiles.v These wireY ties are.

fastened in any suitable manner, as by twisting their ends together.` The backs of Athe tiles are covered with cement, in Vwhich y the hooks 43 and the supporting wires areL embedded, and also the wire ties-47, when Preferably the entire space between the plane .of the outer edges of the studs 2 and the tiles is filled with which binds the tiles together, covers the joints between them, and makes a completehomogeneous, weather tight wall. The upper course of tiles is clamped downby a slab x5() which extends throughout the whole length of the wall, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and is' clamped bybolts anchored in the upper horizontal Wall beam.

Another type of tile isA illustrated in Figs. 9, 10and 11. simulate dressed stone, and is arranged to overlap a fizinge of thel tiles next beneath and to oneside thereof. The tiles are represented by 51 and the flanges thereof by 52. These tiles hang vertically from the wires orAbands from which they are suspended, and have the perforations 53 for the reception of tie Wires 54, which'are here necessary for their retention. In addition also, the laterally extending portion of the tile flange ,may be' provided with perforations 55 'foran additional inter1nediatetie 5G. It may be noted` that in Figs. .7 and 8A This tile is made to to the Wooden insert of the rafter, and that Wires instead of the strips may be employed. "Preferablyy in laying the rooftiles, each along the Walls andlheld by the nails A41,- e ourse s, covered with a layer' of cement or 1,

From the foregoing it. will be seen that-y byrmy invention I have provided a new form of fire-proof building, which is constructed of absolutely fire-proof material, and can be built at any place and according to any design by unskilled workmen who.

need only have knowledge enough to distinguish the identifying marks which may be applied to the various members. The several beams constituting the frame of the building may be made at any point Where facilities exist for the purpose, in accordance with the design ofthe building, and also in standard patterns adapted for any design. They can then be shipped to the point where the building is to be erected, and easily assembled together.

l, In a fire-proof building. the combination with concrete fire-proof uprights made as independent monohths. each having a nailing strip set into its outer faeesuspension bands strung horizontally across said liprights and from one upright to another and secured by nailing to said strips. tiles having hook-like ledges projeeting from their inner sides at their upper edges hung from said bands. said tiles being of greater length than the distanee between the bands whereinY the tiles above overlap the upper portions of those beneath. and an ineombustible rover-ing for said nailing strips.

2. ln a tire-proof building. the .eombinzb tion with eonerete lireproot` uprights made as independent monoliths. each having a nailing strip set into its outer fare. suspension bands strung horizontally ari-oss said uprights and from one upright to another and seeured by nailing to said `strips. tiles having hook-like ledges projeeting from their inner sides at their upper edges hung from said bands. said tiles being i greater length than the distanee between bands whereby the tiles above overlap the upper portions ot' those beneath. tying means passsiibstantiallY ing through apertures in the upper portions of the tiles below such ledgesl and carried about the same and the suspension bands, whereby to lock the tiles in place, and a tire-proof protecting covering for said. nailing strips.

3. ln a fire-proof building, the combination ivith concrete fire-proof uprights made as independent monoliths, each having a milling strip set into its outer face, suspension bands strung horizontally` arross said uprights and from one upright to another and seem-edv b v nailing said strips. and tiles having hook-like ledges projecting from their inner sides at their upper edges hung from said bands. said tiles being ot' greater length than the distance between the bands whereby the tiles above overlap the upper portions of those beneath. and a backing of rement overlying the ent-ire rear faces of the tiles in which the. ledges are embedded.

l. ln a lire-proof building a shell construetion comprising uprights and rafterseomprise'd of monolithic concrete columns and bars eaeh having a strip ot Wood or equivalent nailing material inserted in its outer face. suspension members extending transversely of said uprights and rafters, being secured by nails., screws. or the like, tosaid strips. and engaged with said suspension members. and concrete tiles having hook elements adapted to overlie and beengaged with said suspension members. each suspension member therebj.Y sustaining a row of tiles. andan ineombustible plastic. filling interposed between said nailing strips and the overlyingtiles.

5. A fire-prooi' ivall construction eomprising monolithie uprights eat-h having a wooden nailing strip embedded in one side. horizontal bands extending across said uprights. fastening means driven yinto the wooden nailing strips and engaged with said bands to seeure the latter in plaee, tiles having hook-lille proieetions suspended from said bands b v engagement ot sueh pro jertions thereover. tie wires', passing through the tiles and around said bands. and a back of lire-proof plas-tir material between .the tiles and nprights.

' Nlll. i. lYituesses-z (leonor, l. irrfrsort. limits ll. iixmms. 

